Saturday, September 10, 2016

Do More Than Watch

U.S. Directs Attacks in Eastern Ukraine

Russell Bentley is a former US Marine from Texas who now lives in the Donbass, Eastern Ukraine.

He regularly reports on the US-NATO backed Kiev puppet regime's war against the innocent civilians of eastern Ukraine. Bentley left Texas to go to eastern Ukraine to help defend the people against these constant attacks. He often reports on the damage being done to civilians whose only crime is that they live too close to the Russian border.

The US-NATO goal is to destabilize the region and draw Russia into a shooting war which they hope will lead to regime change in Moscow.

The US-NATO endless war machine is playing with fire and very well could trigger WW III.

It makes me very afraid and very angry at my government. I want to help the people of eastern Ukraine to defend themselves from this aggression (terrorism) by the corporate banksters - Mr. Big and his pirate crew.

I want to help the people in South Korea, Okinawa, Japan, Guam, Syria and Yemen defend themselves from the current version of 'shock and awe' - this time brought to the world by a Nobel Peace Prize winner and a 'Demo-rat'.

Port
Louis, Mauritius (Oct 1-2) LALIT 2nd Action
Conference called “Diego Garcia: 50 Years’ Occupation & Banishment, 50
Year’s Struggle”.Topics include: The secret history of the U.S. Military Base on Diego
Garcia and its role as a key installation in the Air Force’s Satellite Control
Network.Contact: raj8@intnet.mu

Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota (Oct. 5) At the weekly peace vigil on a bridge spanning the Mississippi River between Minneapolis/St. Paul, Women Against Military Madness will hold signs about stopping the provoking of Russia and China. From 5:00-6:00 p.m. during rush hour traffic. On Oct. 8 a coalition of peace groups in the Twin Cities will rally with a focus on Afghanistan because it is the 15th anniversary of the U.S. war on that country; there is sure to be an anti-drone presence. beaudmj@gmail.com

Vadso, Norway (Oct 10-11) National conference called ‘Military Intelligence as a democratic blind zone’. Event will discuss NSA-cooperation with Norway 1952-2016. In Vadsø is a huge US space Communications-Intelligence station near the Russian border. Event held at Scandic Vadso Hotel. For more information contact torill@formidlingskraft.no

Volk Field, Camp Douglas, Wisconsin (Sept 27) Vigil Against Drones 3:30-4:30, Gates of Volk Field, an Air National Guard Base where they train personnel to operate the Shadow Drone. The monthly vigil at Volk Field is a legal vigil where we will be on public property. It will be a solemn vigil, remembering the victims of US drone attacks. For information joyfirst5@gmail.com or blbb24@att.ne

Seongju (South Korea) Residents Against THAAD

Human chain against US deployment of the so-called 'missile defense' system THAAD in their community. The Pentagon claims it is aimed at North Korea but the residents have learned that the weapons system (a key element in US first-strike attack planning) is actually aimed at China.

MIT emeritus professor and US missile defense system expert Theodore
Postol is raising questions over whether China might regard Seongju as
a military target following Seoul and Washington’s decision to deploy a
Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system in the North
Gyeongsang Province county.

“It’s a near certainty that the Chinese military will develop a strike
plan for the THAAD radar deployed in Seongju,” said Postol.
“It’s not an emotional thing. China doesn’t have any choice because it
sees the THAAD radar as a major threat to its own nuclear deterrent
against the US,” he explained.

“It shows why reducing tensions among the US, China, and Russia is such a practical concern.”

Talking about Truth & Justice

Protesting Enormous Fines on Jeju Island

Regina Pyon writes from South Korea:

"Post-modern avant-garde live show" by Dunguree with 5,000 pieces of 10
won coins to protest against the wrongful reimbursement claim of $3.4
million by the Navy on 121 Gangjeong villagers and activists on Jeju Island.

[The government claims that more than eight years of protests in Gangjeong village have harmed the Samsung Corporation, the lead construction contractor for the Navy base that will port US warships sent to the Asia-Pacific. Thus the enormous fines against leading villagers and activists.]

Dunguree, a filmmaker, is one of the 121 being fined by the government.

Report on Zumwalt 12 Court Hearing Today

Report on Zumwalt 12 Court Hearing & Invite
to Next Zumwalt 12 Event

Eleven of the members of the Zumwalt 12 (arrested at Bath Iron Works on
June 18 when we blocked the road and gate during a ‘christening ceremony)
appeared in West Bath District Court early this morning. (Our 12th member of
the group Tarak Kauff is in Okinawa with a Veterans for Peace delegation). Bar
Harbor attorney Lynne Williams was with us providing her expertise having
represented activists following previous civil disobedience cases around
Maine.

As it turned out the new $7 billion Zumwalt ‘stealth’ destroyer (the second
one to be ‘christened’ at BIW) was leaving Bath today on its way to be home
ported in San Diego. From there it will be sent into the Asia-Pacific as part of the
Obama-Clinton ‘pivot’ of 60% of Pentagon military forces into the region to
‘contain’ China.

The Associated Press has reported, “A super-stealthy destroyer [Zumwalt] that could underpin the U.S. Navy’s China strategy will be able to
sneak up on coastlines virtually undetected and pound targets with
electromagnetic ‘rail guns’ right out of a sci-fi movie.Using electric pulses, not chemical
explosives, the ‘rail gun’ can shoot a 40-pound metal slug from New York to
Philadelphia at up to 5,600 mph — more than seven times the speed of sound —
with 32 times the force of a car traveling at 100 miles per hour."

Judge Matthews presided over the ‘dispositional conference’ and after
learning that all 12 members of the group were planning to plead ‘not guilty’ -
and that 11 of the group would defend themselves during a joint trial – the
jurist adjourned the conference until 12:30 pm.

Once Judge Matthews reconvened the court he began by asking the state
prosecutor if Bath Iron Works (BIW) had been consulted about the case. Matthews
remarked, “BIW would probably like to see this all go away.” The prosecutor
said he didn’t know if anyone had reached out to BIW.

Judge Matthews then began a long series of questions to the state
prosecutor that included the following:

“What is it about this case that the state wants to do a jury trial? I
don’t think a trial makes any sense but I am not the judge who would try this
case. I’d urge the [Sagadahoc County] District Attorney’s
office to rethink this. What would they achieve? The last thing BIW wants
in this case is to re-raise the issues in this case. And this case will incur
considerable time and cost to the court.”

Next Judge Matthews mentioned the first Plowshares action at BIW by Fr.
Phil Berrigan and four others on Easter, March 31, 1991. The judge told the
state prosecutor, “Fr. Berrigan and his group were charged but the charges never
proceeded. He made his point and everyone went on. Sometimes in these
conferences we plant seeds that can later be worked out.”

The next step is for the District Attorney’s office to decide how they will
proceed with the Zumwalt 12. It is possible that by late November a trial date
(likely in December) will be set.

In the meantime the Zumwalt 12 have decided to return to BIW for a
peace vigil on Saturday, October 1 from 11:30 am for
an hour during the midday shift change. This protest will be held in
conjunction with local events around the world during Keep Space for Peace Week. Aegis
destroyers, also built at BIW, are outfitted with so-called ‘missile defense’
systems that are key elements in Pentagon first-strike attack planning.

Following the October 1 BIW vigil the Zumwalt 12 will hold a pot
luck lunch at the Neighborhood Church (798 Washington St) in Bath and
invite others to join us. After the 12:30 pm lunch the Zumwalt 12 members will
each offer their reasons for having taken the step to risk arrest at BIW. This
will be done in preparation for a possible trial in December.

Please come and support the Zumwalt 12 and help continue this important
peace witness in Bath.

Tuesday, September 06, 2016

Global Network Solidarity Letter: Close Diego Garcia Down!

Runway at US war base on Diego Garcia. Years ago the UK threw the indigenous Chagossian people off the island and turned it over to the US to use as a base that has bombed Iraq, Afghanistan and been a rendition site where the Pentagon has tortured people from those wars. The 50-year lease runs out this December and the Chagossians are demanding the base be returned to the people.

It is with heavy hearts but much respect that we send our solidarity wishes
to you. For too long the UK and the US have been complicit in the stealing of
your lands on Diego Garcia for a secret war base that has been destroying other
innocent people around the world. We are closely following your valiant efforts
to bring this case of international theft and hypocrisy to the International
Court of Justice in The Hague and the UN General Assembly.

Now that the 50-year illegal “lease” of Diego Garcia by Britain to the USA
is due to expire in December, it is the perfect moment for peace organizations
around the world to speak with one voice. The time has come to close Diego
Garcia down!

We note with great interest that your International Action Conference on
Diego Garcia is being held during our annual Keep Space for Peace Week (October
1-8) of local actions around the world. We shall remind people during this
period that we are in favour of complete decolonization of your homeland.

Diego Garcia today is a prime deployment site for the Pentagon’s Space
Surveillance Network, one of 25 such locations with ground-based radars and
optical sensors worldwide that are used to give the US ‘full spectrum
dominance’. Diego Garcia also serves as a key installation in the Air Force’s
Satellite Control Network.

Pentagon's Space Surveillance detachment stationed on Diego Garcia

It is important for you to remember that you are not alone. We pledge to
continue to keep your struggle to return to Diego Garcia close to our hearts and
we will keep your vital work in front of our Global Network membership.

Monday, September 05, 2016

Free Gangjeong Mayor Cho!

Report from Gangjeong village on Jeju Island, South Korea where villagers have been non-violently resisting construction of a new Navy base that will port US warships as part of the US 'pivot' of 60% of Pentagon forces into the Asia-Pacific in preparation for war with China and Russia.

Mayor
Cho Kyung-Cheol was arrested this afternoon for his refusal to get
investigated for the alleged charges on the incident of April 28 when
soldiers appeared in military uniform and vehicle, directing guns
all-around as a part of military exercise and passing through the center
of the village.

Mayor Cho was first carried into the Seogwipo Police station where he kept
silence to the police inquiry while closing his eyes. He was then
carried to the Dongbu police station in the Jeju City. It is expected
that he could be there at least 48 hours unless he responds to the
investigation.

To be very infuriatingly, the police handcuffed
his hands and closed the investigation room door as if they are dealing
with a heavy criminal, which is unusual.

Mayor Cho has said
with a media reporter the other time that the state and police have been
eager to accuse villagers with whatever measures and it would be never
surprising if the police suddenly arrest him one day.

Otherwise, since
April 10, He has been staying in the sit-in tent demanding the navy/
government to drop unjust lawsuit against people. [The South Korean government is demanding $3 million for 'damages due to construction delays caused by the protests over the past eight years.]

What he did
on April 28? He was just telling the soldiers not to threaten people in
such way as there is also an elementary school nearby. Like other
villages in Jeju, Gangjeong has a trauma of April 3rd incident [US directed massacre of more than 30,000 Jeju Islanders soon after WW II] and it is
really threatening for people to watch soldiers and military vehicles
in their town.

On July 20, a female villager, Kim Miryang was
also arrested for the refusal of being investigated. She was released in
48 hours.

"She is a War Girl"

Baby born in eastern Ukraine during the shelling by US-NATO backed Nazi forces. The shelling continues to this day in spite of the Minsk Ceasefire Agreement that is regularly being violated by the Kiev puppet regime installed by the US following the 2014 coup d'etat that Washington spent $5 billion to foster.

The US armed and trained Nazi forces are shelling civilians in the Donbass (eastern Ukraine). They are not shelling military targets. It is a violation of international law to shell civilians (houses, schools, day care centers, hospitals, churches, rail stations, airports and the like). It is called terrorism.

The US claims that Russia has invaded Ukraine but the real truth is that Washington-London-Brussels-Berlin-Paris are complicit in enabling these war crimes against the people in eastern Ukraine. Russia has not invaded Ukraine but is the only nation trying to help defend the people of the Donbass.

I did an interview on Press TV about all of this two days ago - you can hear the interview here

Sunday, September 04, 2016

Fool Me Once.....

Oil Pipeline Company Turns Dogs on Dakota Protesters

On September 3, the Dakota Access pipeline company attacked Native Americans with dogs and pepper spray as they protested against the $3.8 billion pipeline's construction. If completed, the pipeline would carry about 500,000 barrels of crude per day from North Dakota’s Bakken oilfield to Illinois.

The project has faced months of resistance from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and members of nearly 100 more tribes from across the U.S. and Canada.